Just Like This
by TakeHeart
Summary: [Oneshot] Naruto and Sakura on a date. As simple as that...? Naruto x Sakura. [NaruSaku]


A/N: This fic was written for **Ladii-chocolate** on request! XD

It is **un-beta**, and so please bear with whatever silly mistakes I made. Also, though I'm a big fan of this pairing, this is the 1st time I've written a fic on it, so comments and criticism would be greatly appreciated. :)

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_**-Just Like This-  
**Naruto x Sakura  
for Ladii_

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"_I bet you can't get Kakashi-sensei's mask off."_

Honestly, it had only been mentioned out of pure boredom.

"_And what if I can?" An eyebrow was raised._

"_Ha. I'll do whatever you ask—"_

"_Why are you drooling! Stop those pervertic thoughts!" A punch was thrown..._

_...but he safely dodged it._

"_This is a bet, Sakura! You owe me a real, full, date if I can remove Kakashi-sensei's mask!"_

_Later..._

"_You cheated!"_

"_I didn't! You never said how I could go about removing his mask! You never said he could remove his mask himself!" But she wasn't listening._

"_Kakashi-sensei... got bribed by a worthless book..." _

"_That useless, good-for-nothing, weak!"_

"_You owe me a date, Sakura!" _

"_Shut up!"_

_-&-_

"I should have expected this..." Sakura mumbled to herself.

She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples with the tips of her forefingers, wishing that she was everywhere but here. However, when she opened her eyes once more, the familiar worn-down building of the Ichiraku ramen stand still stood there before her.

"Come on, Sakura! Let's go in!"

A hand lifted the bright red cloth hanging above them, and another shot out and tugged at Sakura's arm, pulling her inside.

The smell of—what else could it be but—ramen drifted over to Sakura, and she gave a pout.

_At least the food would taste good enough... Even if it is ramen..._

From the corner of her eye, Sakura saw a wide grin appearing on Naruto's face as he too caught the mouth-watering smell of his all-time-favourite food. He was still smiling that silly smile of his when he guided Sakura to a stool and sat down beside her.

A wave of nostalgia washed over Sakura at the sight, and she pressed her lips together to avoid showing a grin like Naruto's.

It had been a long time since she last saw him smiling like that, as he had been away with Jiraya for close to three years.

Even if he had grown taller, gained more skills, gotten a little cleverer, and—this Sakura was reluctant to admit—grown out of his boyish looks to become slightly more handsome, Naruto was still Naruto.

That Naruto who had stunned Sakura by cutting his hand with a kunai in order to continue with his mission, that Naruto who would brush off her hurtful remarks with a fake smile, that Naruto who would never stop trying, even if it would cost his life, to bring back Sasuke for—

A bowl of steaming seafood ramen was pushed towards her, and Sakura momentarily broke out of her thoughts. Splitting apart her wooden chopsticks and dipping them into the bowl, Sakura begun eating and forced all thoughts to the back of her mind.

Beside her, Naruto was busy slurping the noddles hanging from his mouth, and talking to Sakura between mouthfuls.

"Do you... (chew) like (chew) your ramen (chew) Sakura? (chew)"

Sakura did her best to suppress the fits of laughter that threatened to erupt, and as nonchalantly as possible, nodded her head in reply.

_-&-_

"Thank you, mister! The ramen was great as always!"

As the both of them stepped out of the ramen stand, Sakura turned towards Naruto and said,

"Thank you for the date, Naruto. I'll be off now!"

With a slight wave of her hand, a polite smile and a little bow, Sakura side-stepped Naruto and proceeded to head for home.

"Wait!"

Running to her front, Naruto's hand latched onto her arm and exclaimed,

"The date's not over yet!"

A frown was added to the pink-haired kunoichi's face.

"Naruto—"

"You lost the bet, and you promised me a full date, remember?" he cut her off before she could continue.

"Come on!"

Naruto did not allow Sakura any chance to protest, and with his hand still holding onto her arm tightly, sprinted out of the streets and into the forest.

The scenery flew pass her in a blur and along the way, Sakura managed to jump over several low branches that attempted to hit her squarely in her face; should she not duck fast enough.

_What is that Naruto doing! _Instead of shrieking at Naruto till he begged for her mercy, Sakura did the curses and screaming mentally to save her breath that was needed for catching up with Naruto's speed.

One second she was leaping from tree to tree, and the next, she was... climbing up a hill? After a hundred more curses, Sakura noticed that Naruto was slowing down, and finally coming to a stop at the top of the hill.

"Naruto! You!"

Sakura stopped short and gasped when she saw the sight before her; the velvet sky was clustered with millions of stars that twinkled and shone and smiled down on her. Wherever she looked or turned around, she was rewarded with an utterly beautiful sight of those things—that were prettier than diamonds—being generously sprinkled above.

Words failed her as her breath caught in her throat, and her hands moved upwards to cover her mouth.

Long, long, moments of silence ensued as the two took their time to appreciate the eye-feast and etch it firmly into their minds.

All this time, Naruto's hand was still on Sakura's arm, and it slowly slipped down into her palm. Sakura only noticed this much later, but neither commented on it nor removed his hand.

Perhaps it was because the run had worn her out, perhaps it was because she had been contemplating this for far too long a time, or perhaps it was because this was just the way she was like, but the large blanket of stars above her gave her new hope for things she was beginning to lose faith in.

"Do you think... Do you think Sasuke... would ever come back?" A whisper, as light as a breeze, but Naruto caught it and squeezed her hand.

"Of course," he told her as quietly as possible, since it seemed like the right thing to do with this kind of atmosphere,

"I'll make sure of it. The promise of a lifetime, remember?"

Another smile, though a genuine one, and this time, it was hard not to notice the sadness lurking behind those crinkles.

And suddenly, it didn't matter anymore. Sasuke didn't matter anymore. Just like this, just this small grin of his, and Sakura finally understood what she should have known ages ago.

She returned the smile, though hers was full of bliss and sincerity.

"Thank you." The two words weren't spoken out aloud, but mouthed.

Then it was Naruto's turn to stare dumbly and swallow that lump in his throat and try desperately to slow down the wild thumping of his heart against his chest.

It was only a small peck; and on his left cheek no less, but Naruto felt as if he was in paradise that sacred moment.

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-End-


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